Sant Joan les Fonts () is a municipality of the

comarca A ''comarca'' (, , , ) is a traditional region or local administrative division found in Portugal, Spain, and some of their former colonies, like Brazil, Nicaragua, and Panama. The term is derived from the term ''marca'', meaning a "march, mark ...

Garrotxa Garrotxa () is a comarca (county) in the Girona region, Catalonia, Spain. Its population in 2016 was 55,999, more than half of them in the capital city of Olot. It is roughly equivalent to the historical County of Besalú. Geography Garrotx ...

, located in

Girona Girona (; ) is the capital city of the Province of Girona in the autonomous community of Catalonia, Spain, at the confluence of the Ter, Onyar, Galligants, and Güell rivers. The city had an official population of 106,476 in 2024, but the p ...

Catalonia Catalonia is an autonomous community of Spain, designated as a ''nationalities and regions of Spain, nationality'' by its Statute of Autonomy of Catalonia of 2006, Statute of Autonomy. Most of its territory (except the Val d'Aran) is situate ...

, northern

Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...

. As of 2014, the population is 2,919. Until 1949 it was known as Begudà. It is part of the

Zona Volcànica de la Garrotxa Natural Park The Zona Volcànica de la Garrotxa Natural Park ( Catalan: ') is a natural park area covering a Holocene volcanic field (also known as the Garrotxa volcanic field or Olot volcanic field) in Catalonia, northeastern Spain. The volcanoes, of which ...

The municipality

It is the second most populous municipality of Garrotxa (after

Olot Olot (; ) is the capital city of the ''Catalonia/Comarques, comarca'' of Garrotxa, in the Province of Girona, Catalonia, Spain. The city is known for its natural landscape, including four volcanoes scattered around the city center. The municipali ...

). It is located at the confluence linking

Figueres Figueres (; ) is the capital city of Alt Empordà county, in the Girona region, Catalonia, Spain. The town is the birthplace of artist Salvador Dalí, and houses the Dalí Theatre and Museum, a large museum designed by Dalí himself which att ...

and Camprodón. It is crossed by the river

Fluvià The Fluvià (; ) is a river in Catalonia. It rises in the Serralada Transversal, passes through Olot and Besalú, and flows into the Mediterranean Sea near Sant Pere Pescador. The ancient city of Empúries was founded near the mouth of the Flu ...

, which has been the engine behind the population's industrial development. Industry is the most developed sector in the municipality, followed by agriculture.

History

The earliest core of the town was formed in the ninth century. Earthquakes in the years 1427 and 1428 most of the collapsed buildings. A recovery began in the area, with small population centers, that was hampered by civil war in the fifteenth century. During the 17th century, it lived through an age of crisis, aggravated by the

War of the Spanish Succession The War of the Spanish Succession was a European great power conflict fought between 1701 and 1714. The immediate cause was the death of the childless Charles II of Spain in November 1700, which led to a struggle for control of the Spanish E ...

. There was no significant population growth until the eighteenth century, with the incorporation of immigrants from Olot and the vicinity. Later,

war War is an armed conflict between the armed forces of states, or between governmental forces and armed groups that are organized under a certain command structure and have the capacity to sustain military operations, or between such organi ...

resulted in another decline of the population, a decline that continued throughout the 19th century. The 1854 cholera epidemic wreaked havoc. During the 20th century, there was a social and economic revival, despite the internecine 1936 civil war.

Population

* Begudà, 248 inhabitants * La Canya, 557 inhabitants * El Pla de Baix, 39 inhabitants * El Pla de Dalt, 54 inhabitants * Sant Cosme, 100 inhabitants * Sant Joan les Fonts, 1,761 inhabitants

Main sights

Monestir de Sant Joan les Fonts Sant Joan les Fonts is a Benedictine monastery in Sant Joan les Fonts, Garrotxa comarca, Catalonia Catalonia is an autonomous community of Spain, designated as a ''nationalities and regions of Spain, nationality'' by its Statute of Autono ...

is a Romanesque building, declared a national monument. The medieval bridge, built with volcanic stone, crosses the river

and links the core of the town with the existing church and the Castanyer neighborhood. A fortress is located at the Serra de Vivers. From this point one can observe the entire landscape of Garrotxa, from Besalú through the valley of Olot and the valley de Bianya. The Canadell Tower is a four-story square building with "espitlleres" on all four sides and a terrace roof. It was once surrounded by ramparts. The Juvinyà estate is known as the oldest Romanesque civil building in Catalonia. It is located along the Fluvià river. It is a fortified manor house with two parts, the defensive tower and main building. It was declared a provincial monument in 1972. An area of archeological interest also known for the lava flow that formed part of the old

lock Lock(s) or Locked may refer to: Common meanings *Lock and key, a mechanical device used to secure items of importance *Lock (water navigation), a device for boats to transit between different levels of water, as in a canal Arts and entertainme ...

known as "la Reformada".

Holidays

Various holidays are celebrated: * The festival of San Isidro, in May * The festival of Roser,

Easter Monday Easter Monday is the second day of Eastertide and a public holiday in more than 50 predominantly Christian countries. In Western Christianity it marks the second day of the Octave of Easter; in Eastern Christianity it marks the second day of Br ...

* The main festival, June 24 * The "pessebre vivent" (nativity scenes), Christmas * Begudà celebrates the festival of Santa Eulàlia, and the main festival in the first weekend of August.

Twin towns

Ydes Ydes (; ) is a commune in the Cantal department in south-central France. Main sights Sights include at 12th century Church of Saint-Georges d'Ydes-Bourg, in Romanesque style. Population See also *Communes of the Cantal department The f ...

, France

References

External links

City council website

Government data pages
{{Authority control Municipalities in Garrotxa Populated places in Garrotxa